Law adds to bullying legislation

HARTFORD — A new bill that changes how schools respond to bullies was signed into law during a ceremony June 11.

By law, each local and regional board of education must develop and implement a safe school climate plan to address bullying in its schools. Under prior law, the plan required a school to invite the parents of a student who commits a verified act of bullying and parents of the victim to a meeting to discuss the measures the school is taking, according to a press release.

The new law, Public Act 14-172, now requires that the bully’s parents be invited to a separate meeting to discuss specific interventions the school has undertaken to prevent further bullying. The new law also allows the state Office of Early Childhood to offer a grant for up to three alliance school districts to develop a strategy to promote the social and emotional well-being of children from age 3 to third grade. The Naugatuck school district is one of 30 alliance districts in the state.

State Sen. Joseph Crisco, Jr. (D-17) was one of eight co-sponsors of the new law and attended the signing ceremony.

“This is just another example of my continued focus on the early education of our children and making the investments and policy changes that are going to benefit them and their families in the long run,” Crisco said in the press release.